Welcome to the 60th issue of the ECAD_e_newsletter! In this issue:
- 53rd SESSION OF UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS: Main issues, involvement of NGOs’
- US GOVERMENT HIGHTLIGHS SOME CRITICAL DRUG POILITCAL ISSUES:
- Opening statement of Gil Kerlikowske at the CND
- GLOBAL DRUG SITUATION SEEN BY THE USA: the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report - the U.S. evaluates other countries’ efforts in drug control
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53RD CND SESSION IN VIENNA
The fifty-third session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs was opened on March 8 in Vienna by its Chair, H.E. Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh (Islamic Republic of Iran).
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is the central policymaking body within the United Nations system dealing with drug-related matters, and also the governing body for the drugs related work of UNODC. The Commission monitors the world drug situation, develops strategies on international drug control and recommends measures to combat the world drug problem, including through reducing demand for drugs, promoting alternative development initiatives and adopting supply reduction measures.
Main issues: on effective ways of raising awareness about the risks of abusing drugs, including cannabis; improving the understanding of drug addiction as a chronic health disorder; and the importance of research and data collection.
International Drug Policy: An unfinished architecture
Antonio Maria Costa’s (Executive director, UNODC) speech at the CND highlights the UN key principles of drug policy:
First, there is a common understanding that health is the key principle of drug policy. By recognizing that drug addiction is a treatable health condition, we have developed scientific, yet compassionate, new ways to help those affected.
Second, there is appreciation for even-handed measures: namely a balanced approach. Reducing cultivation and disrupting flows are vital, but these will be never-ending unless the number of addicts drops. By lowering demand, you make supply control more sustainable.
The third breakthrough concerns the shared responsibility, the need to pursue cohesion in drug policy. By recognizing that market forces have shaped the asymmetric dimensions of the drug economy, we are learning how to amend the fact that the world’s biggest consumers of the poison (the rich countries) impose the greatest damage upon the poor (in the supply and trafficking regions).
Read Costa’s seech here
http://www.unodc.org/documents/frontpage/CND_Costa_Speech_08_03_10.pdf
Read more about the event
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2010/March/commission-on-narcotic-drugs-opens-in-vienna.html
NGOs continue their active involvement in the work of the CND, within the Vienna NGO committee (which ECAD is a part of and participates in the meeting)
For the first time, the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs is joining UNODC and the World Health Organization in organizing a side event on drug dependence treatment that will be held on 11 March.
Read more on NGOs
What is the CND? Read here:
http://www.vngoc.org/images/uploads/file/Guide%20to%20CND.pdf
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THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HIGHLIGHTS SOME CRITICAL DRUG-POLITICAL ISSUES
In his opening statement before the 53rd UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Director, National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske highlighted the U.S. Administration's commitment to reduce drug use and its consequences in the U.S. and around the world.
Clear “No” to legalization of marijuana:
I want to be clear about our Administration’s views on marijuana. In our country, we have seen significant consequences of marijuana use.
For example, more and more people are dependent on the drug and treatment and call-in centers cite marijuana as a major reason people are presenting for help. We in the Obama Administration are opposed to legalizing marijuana or any other illicit drug. Research and experience have shown that by widening availability, we increase the acceptance and use of these drugs and the harmful consequences that go with them. We also believe medicine should be determined by science, not popular vote. Currently, in line with international protocols, there are numerous research projects underway which will soon provide more insight into the drug and its many components.
The false ringing of the term “harm reduction”:
The United States supports many specific interventions, such as medically-assisted drug treatment, syringe exchange programs as part of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy leading to recovery, and the use of detoxification and treatment services tailored to the needs of those suffering from the disease of addiction. However, we do not use the phrase “harm reduction” to describe our policies because we believe it creates unnecessary confusion and is too often misused to further policies and ideologies which promote drug use. We support evaluating individual programs and policies on their own merit, not on whether they do or do not fall under any particular ideological label.
Kerlikowske framförde också den amerikanska administrationens syn på ”harm reduction”. Read the address in full here
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/news/speech10/030810_UNCOmmission.pdf
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THE INCSR: the U.S. evaluates other countries’ efforts in drug control
USA published 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
(INCSR) which is an annual report by the Department of State to Congress.
This report covers calendar year 2009 and its conclusions reflect the Department’s analysis of the international drug control and money laundering environment during the last calendar year.
The report is a review of foreign governments’ efforts to deal with their own domestic narcotics problems and to meet their international responsibilities as set forth in UN narcotics and crime treaties.
The drugs and chemical controls section covers some 130 countries and jurisdictions. The second section on money laundering and financial crimes describes the efforts of 60 nations to implement strong anti money-laundering and counterterrorist financing regime.
Based on the analysis, the Department identifies the challenges that the U.S. have faced with its partners and points to lessons learned which will help to identify practical ways to address the problems of narcotics and crime
The United States provides significant assistance and resources to the partner states to help develop effective law enforcement, judicial institutions, and anti money-laundering regimes.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY JOHNSON said at the briefing: While we’re judicious in determining how best to provide these resources, our cooperative efforts are essential to deter illicit drug and transnational crime from reaching our shores, as well as from destabilizing our partners. Additionally, we and our partners are working to reduce our own demand for illicit drugs within our own borders in concert with efforts made by other consumer nations. As made clear by the Secretary in her first visit to Mexico, we view this as a shared challenge and a shared responsibility.
Link to the briefing on Release of the 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)
http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rm/137531.htm
The report is available here
http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2010/index.htm
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